Three Best Knots for Tying Up a Boat

Knots are an important part of seamanship. Here are three that will make it easy to tie up your boat.

By Carol Cronin

September 3, 2013

The term ‘knots’ covers several different types of line tying. There are hitches, where you tie a line to something else; there are bends, where you tie one line to another; and there are knots, where the line is tied to itself. The aim of them all is to secure your boat when you want, but allow you to untie them when it's time to push off the dock again.

You don’t have to be an old salty seadog to master the essential powerboating knots.

You don’t have to be an old salty seadog to master the essentials. Here are three basics that are easy to learn and will serve you well. For more details and some great photos, read Alex Smith's post on boats.com UK site, Essential Power Boating Knots.

1. BowlineMake a loop in the line. Feed the end up through the loop, then around the lower part of the line and back through the loop. Pull the ends tight and test to make sure there is no give.

2. Clove HitchGo around the object once, make a second turn around in the same direction crossing the first, and then tuck the free end through the eye of the second turn.

3. Round Turn with 2 Half HitchesGo around the object twice (more for a large load). Then tie a clove hitch around the line itself.